International Student and Scholar Services
ISSS Advising
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Employment
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If you already have an on-campus job, you are ready to apply for a Social Security Number. If you do not have a job or a job offer letter, you may not apply for an SSN.
Our SSN letter request form is located online in the Current Student Forms section and select “Social Security Card Letter Request” near the bottom.
It is forbidden to work off-campus without prior authorization. Please contact intlFREEMississippi if you have any questions. An F-1/J-1 student who works off campus would be in danger of a terminated I-20/DS-2019 and requirement to depart the U.S. immediately. Future visa applications would also likely be negatively impacted.
To learn more about various work authorization opportunities, please consult with ISSS or watch the ISSS workshop recording archive.
Enrollment
In order to maintain students, F-1 and J-1 students, must enroll in a full course of study.
Undergraduates must maintain:
12 credits minimum for full time enrollment each semester
Of those, 9 credits minimum must be face to face
Graduates must maintain:
9 credits minimum for full time enrollment each Fall or Spring semester
Of those, 6 credits must be face to face
There are very limited exceptions to full course of study requirements, which include academic or medical exceptions. A student may qualify for a temporary reduced course load under one of the following academic and medical circumstances. Please work very closely with ISSS if you feel that you qualify for one of the following exceptions. Do not withdraw from classes until you receive authorization from ISSS.
Academic Reasons:
- Initial semester of study
- Reasons: Improper course level placement, Initial difficulty with reading requirements, initial difficulty with the English Language, Unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods.
- Verified by academic advisor
- Students must maintain a minimum half credit load (6 credits undergraduate, 5 credits for graduate students)
- Limited to first semester of study.
- The appropriate ratio of in person classes must be maintained.
- Final semester of study
- Student is in the final term of study and can complete program with fewer classes.
- Student must be enrolled in at least one required class.
- The appropriate ratio of in person classes must be maintained.
Medical Reasons:
- Serious and temporary illness or medical conditions preventing full time enrollment and verified by a medical doctor in advance of withdrawal.
- Student may enroll in zero or more credits, if authorized.
- Limited to no more than 12 months cumulative during entire program.
- If conditions continue, must renew each semester.
- The appropriate ratio of in person classes must be maintained.
Continuing students: Summer enrollment is optional for continuing students who will enroll in the following Fall Term. Therefore, there are no minimum enrollment policies (i.e. student may have an annual break from classes) and on-line courses are permitted with no minimum or maximum during summer semester only for continuing students.
Graduating students: If summer semester is the final term of study, in-person enrollment is required in
order to remain in the U.S. and maintain eligibility for post-completion optional
practical training (OPT). However, if students want to complete their studies on-line,
it is allowed if they depart the United States.
New students: Students must enroll full time during their first semester of study. It is unusual
to start a new program in summer, however, if an F-1 student does start a new program,
they must enroll full time with the appropriate on-line. The University of Southern
Mississippi academic bulletins indicate that full time enrollment in summer semester
is 12 credits for undergraduates and 3 credits for graduate students.
Health and Safety
All active non-immigrant students are automatically enrolled an charged for health insurance to protect our students' health and well-being. The policy has been vetted by university Benefits professionals at the state level for quality and cost effectiveness.
The only possibility to waive is if:
1) You are a U.S. worker (such as H1-B) who has comparable health insurance or are
the dependent (spouse/child) of such a worker.
2) You are part of a government-sponsored scholarship that requires comparable insurance
through a different company.
3) You will not be inside the United States for the duration of the semester.
Email INTL@usm.edu if you feel you meet the waiver guidelines.
-Have a plan: Know where you will go and how you will transport yourself in case
of a weather emergency.
-Stay prepared: Build an emergency kit with supplies for 7-14 days.
-Know what to expect: Review the ӣƵ Campus Emergency plans: /police/emergency_response_plans.php
and the MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) website: https://www.msema.org/
-If you depart from your regular residential address for a temporary emergency reason,
please notify ISSS at INTLFREEMississippi%20as soon as possible.